george_on_the_outer

I can't remember who said it: "Melbourne were the most professional club in the Amateur era, and the most amateur club in the professional era". It still pervades the club, because we took so long to get even the most fundamental facilities for a professional football side, something that we are still trying to catch up with. Paying players, checkbook recruiting, assistant coaches, professionals on the Board instead of ex-players were all things that other clubs were doing long before Melbourne caught up. And during that "catch up" period, we had zero success, and the support of members dwindled and continues to dwindle compared with others. Soft salary cap and real salary cap will drag others down to our level. But we are coming from a long way back.

Good news in an email from the MCC today: "Finally, I would like to announce and welcome to the MCC Committee Russel Howcroft who has been appointed to fill the casual vacancy created by the retirement of Mark Smith". Russell, of course, is one of the stalwarts on the ABC's Gruen show, but importantly is a former MFC Board member. We hope that this will continue to ensure our voice is heard over at the MCC, and that more can be done to sign up those 5,000 MCC members who go along to 4 or more Melbourne games each year, but do not sign up to the MFC/MCC membership.

I have great respect for PJ, and as far as the MFC is concerned, they should be erecting a statue outside the MCG in recognition of his saving the club financially. However, his view as shown by Moonshadow is way off the mark. Associating player retention to facilities may have some merit, but it completely ignores the results of having proper facilities. North Melbourne may have made 7 prelims in a row, but they didn't win any premierships in that period. Hawthorn, WCE, Sydney and Richmond did....all with excellent facilities. Melbourne may have made the GF in 2000 with only the Junction oval as a training ground, but Essendon and Brisbane were the power houses again with facilities ( at the time) simply light years ahead of what we had. Over both those periods, Melbourne and North had great lists, yet not being able to develop players properly and train them to the standards that the Premiership teams had only resulted in multiple years of failure.

But if the NRL pinches your idea and it helps them survive instead of foundering in their own cesspit of a "sport", then you will be banned from AFL..........

Loved Robbo and the excitement he could bring....but he had zero defensive side. I remember one game against Essendon where his opponent had 28 possessions!

Since there is nothing else to talk about at the moment, here is a re-run of an article I wrote for Demonland a couple of years ago: Footy club Theme songs ( and their origins) We all know our own Club theme song, but singing such a thing has not always been done. Over many, many years those songs have evolved, with the majority “borrowed” from other sources with the lyrics suitably adjusted. So where did they come from, and what insights into the team and its own history do they give? Richmond: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxMHbg3R00g http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Cz92GzEt2I This clip explains a lot about Richmond supporters. Remember this when you next hear it! Especially the sexual overtones…..no, doesn’t bear thinking about…. But the best version of their team song is this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBD49n36F9k Fremantle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDsuU6v2gYE Original: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-qz4Icl3_Q Freo supporters should be serious vodka drinkers…… Melbourne: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIHJ3NYIRro&list=PL79A42F90C35FD143 Original: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvdHKS-rskA Sorry for the American overtones….. Adelaide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3zS83-IQ3k Original: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itUDOuFcWb4&feature=related …and even more American overtones….. Essendon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AL0DRyhUt1c Original: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCN9KIPfMPE Visions of the prohibition era…..not much has changed at the Dons! Brisbane: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2OnZG6VnJk Original: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4K1q9Ntcr5g&feature=related There was something wrong with this played at the Grand Final in front of 100,000 Australians Collingwood: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chRE_oHWG9g Original: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvvNbV5IORM It’s bad enough listening to the original song that they pinched but their supporters haven’t changed over the history of the club: http://www.convictcreations.com/football/collingwood.htm Geelong: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akAkWj7kXt0 Surprisingly they tried this version in 1992, when they thought they would parody “Pinball Wizard” by the Who: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQFwnOIpej4 Original: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXzsVb1pPFY …you have to wait a bit for the chorus to recognise it….. Hawthorn: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2pumIAeS0c Original: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StDpLge_ITM More Americanism, but gotta love Cagney! Carlton: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPpe2LVfgwo Original: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4NMnwrKwpk If you listen to the words it simply wouldn’t be written today! The song was No. 21 on the White star line orchestra play list i.e the Titanic. St.Kilda: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--f9cjE9h4s Original: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyLjbMBpGDA Shortest lyrics of any club song. Satchmo is great regardless! Sydney: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1oQjBUeqAE Original: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSd_l508dwA&feature=related What does shake down the thunder from the sky mean? West Coast: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yr5vcF66lH8 Original: http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=iVQPsro2p0A Why do all Mike Brady songs sound the same?...Very 80’s Footscray: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCWSiW7vKrA Original: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGbdoQk9EIA The song is based on an old sea shanty called “Sons of the Sea” Port Adelaide: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2cUM71RA24 The original was penned local composers Quentin Eyers ( who plays in a Sikh band ) and Les Kaczmarek (the original bass player with Cold Chisel). Like the people who support the club, it is a shocker, and the alternative lyrics are probably more appropriate: We've got no Power at all Our [censored] are so small Come on, Port Adelaide are wankers We are the Bogans from Port We're always in court It's true Port Adelaide tradition We'll never stop, stop, stop Growin our drug, drug crop There's history here in the making Port supporters are sad No-one knows who's their dad Paternity tests is ours for the taking With our drug network so strong We can't go wrong We're the Alberton crowd Port Adelaide proud And the losers are those Who've earned the right To wear the silver - teal And black and white And the Port supporters Oh so small > > >>True Ferals > > >>One and all Gold Coast: Original: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGPHbeNUDFg However I much prefer the Kazakhstan version ( rarely heard): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkVKyXDv81I GWS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epvc4wDWQCQ Put together by Harry Angus of The Cat Empire! But could he have recently attended a Jewish wedding when he composed this piece? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BMtlNLnXxI

It won't make much difference if no junior football is played this year. Try picking today's talent on the back of what a 16 or 17 year old was doing last year. You will have as much chance of selecting quality at pick 1 or pick 20.

I was wondering whether Brad still had that shirt from his days at Melbourne or did someone drag it out of the back room for the interview?

Reduced lists = contracts to be re-negotiated for existing players = Buddy takes a pay cut, and Sydney are let off the hook by Headquarters!

Forget No. 1. The umpires cannot see who kicked a goal or not today, they would only manage to stuff this up on a regular basis. All the others are OK. But they make sense, so don't let Gil and Hocking know just yet....then they will think they came up with the ideas!

Carlton have started the destruction with their abandonment of the Northern Blues ( Preston). As Mazer says: "Well, why not. After grass roots & country footy, why not go on with the knife and end VFL? Next, ammos and suburban leagues. "

OK....here is the answer to the last one. No 1. “I would have 100 shots a week at training….” A: Brad Green, Demonland Podcast 20/6/18 Small wonder that he was so good at shooting for goal.

OK, you have been kept in suspense, so here is one to help out: No 6. “Any game against Collingwood, you had to get up…it’s a long week in football and every 2nd bastard you run into is a Collingwood supporter..” A: Allen Jakovich Demonland podcast 21 October 2017. 37.25

sorry RM. I will reveal 1 each day, if no-one can guess them.....

sorry LFS neither correct.

Scot Sutcliffe from Demonwiki: http://www.demonwiki.org/Scott+Sutcliffe

Further help needed? No. 7. A: Ian Thorogood. From “The Red Fox” by Ben Collins

It was nice to see the umpires allow " play on" when the player played on, not until the umpire calls it, like today.

His comments about his time at Melbourne start with 12.37 to go

Mate of mine dejectedly walked out when WCE hit the front with 4 minutes to go, so he could exit the horrible Waverley car-park. Heard the first roar when Spalding marked as he went through the gates. Then the groan as he missed. Then the roar with the Lyon goal when we hit the front. Had to turn on the radio to find out we won. ......Never leave the game early!

Jeremy from Demonwiki However I think it is Peter Tossol, again the picture from Demonwiki:

Carroll's tackle on Gehrig was the turning point. He was going to win the game off his own boot up to that point. Couldn't move after that.

OK, we will help you out a litte...... No 2. “I train day on, day off. Day on. Day off….Todays’s day off” Allen Jakovich in Garry Lyons book “The Demon Within”

Congratulations Roger Mellie.....another one right! No 4. The old Melbourne’s gone….done and dusted. Finished….and that will never reappear again. Paul Roos. Demonland Podcast 13 June 2018 at 37.55

Still no more correct since Grinter and Barassi......